AC Milan's forward, Christian Pulisic, who scored yesterday in the USMNT's friendly match against Senegal, spoke to GQ about the World Cup:
"I get texts from my family and close friends, they're definitely all excited about it, for sure. I mean, I feel like I’m constantly playing in big games. For me personally, it’s not like all that much is changing. It’s just another big tournament, to be honest."
Last April, Allegri said: "Pulisic was a sensitive guy. The fact he doesn’t score affects him more". The American player answered:
"Maybe some things translate differently. But I’m okay. At the end of the day, maybe [Allegri] doesn’t know everything about me. I’m doing the best I can, and obviously I get frustrated when things aren’t going well. I think everyone does. I just try to work to make things right. That’s all I can do."
On Allegri's playing style and regularly playing out of position as a striker or even as a wing-back if necessary in the 3-5-2 formation:
"It’s definitely more of a defensive style. We’ve been much more aggressive and press a bit higher with Mauricio’s [Pochettino’s] system.” It’s the same game, similar principles, and I have to play my position as best as I can.”
Pulisic on his form:
"I'm not trying to completely reinvent my game. When people look at you as if you’re not playing well, a lot of times that can just mean you didn’t score, and there’s so many other good things that you can do [on the field]. Times where the media might portray me as in a bad moment, I might actually feel really good, which is interesting. Sometimes it’s the other way around: You score a tap-in, but you’re really not happy with your game. That’s just how it is. You’ve got to live with the ups and downs. I just keep doing what I’m doing, putting extra reps on things that I want to work on. I believe that at the end of the day my time will come, because I put in the work."
Pulisic on whether he is hoping to follow the example of his AC Milan teammate Luka Modric, who in 2018 helped drag Croatia to its first World Cup final against the odds...
"I try to learn everything I can from Luka, honeslty, every day. I think what those teams [like Croatia] have is such a crazy team spirit. They just believe until the end, no matter what players they have, what talent they have, you can beat anyone. You just have to believe it constantly. That’s what I noticed most, and try to take that and replicate that as best we can."
In the past, Pulisic has not always been the loudest voice in a locker room filled with big personalities...
"I think with time I’ve been more comfortable. That’s not really my personality type at all, and it was really difficult for me at the beginning. It just comes with the experience."
Once again on the World Cup:
"I’m gonna try to enjoy the moment as best I can. Obviously, the more success you have, the more attention it gets, and that can only help grow the sport in America. I’m gonna give everything that I can to make that happen. That’s all I can do,” he says. “I hope people watching can see that.”
